Everybody does it. I do it, too...
But instead of saving your voice, both are worse than actually
talking. Hushing the class using "shush" or whispering to help
maintain a quiet atmosphere or to protect your voice aggressively sends
a tremendous amount of air through the vocal cords. That is
therefore very dehydrating and unhealthy for the folds. Without
enough lubrification, vocal cords cannot vibrate freely. This
practice can lead to vocal fatigue and more severe consequences, such
as nodules and polyps (small tissue growths on the folds), so watch
out! If you have lost your voice, it is better not to talk at all;
but if you must talk, do it softly by properly placing your
voice high in the mask.

Interesting
Facts

Take a Closer Look at the Vocal Cords!

Have you ever wondered what the vocal cords in action look like? I found this cool video of a

stroboscopy that clearly shows what happens in the voice box during
speech and singing! (This is not for the faint of heart and is not meant to demonstrate correct speech habits.)

If you have experienced long-term voice fatigue or are worried about
your vocal health, ask your doctor to send you to an ear, nose and
throat specialist for this special kind of examination. It
doesn't hurt, althought it does feel a little uncomfortable to have the
tube with the camera on it sent down your nose and throat. It is
worthwhile for the peace of mind alone to have your vocal cords checked
up for any swelling or nodes. If the video shows concerns, then you know
to step things up toward a resolution plan that will help you get back
the voice you deserve.

What's Happening?

The International Noise Awareness Day

Once
again this year, The League for the Hard of Hearing is trying to raise
awareness against noise pollution by celebrating The International
Noise Awareness Day on April 29, 2009. You are invited to take
part in this event with your class by making a conscious effort to
remain quiet between 2:15 and 2:16 wherever your location. You
can also celebrate silence by discussing how noise affects our lives
and
how we can reduce noise pollution and by creating simple activities around
that topic. For example, I like playing the "Silent Game" with my
grade 1 and 2 students. It goes like this: Everybody must be
completely quiet to start. Then, I choose a student and walk over
his/her desk and I sit in his/her chair without making any noise (I
like to act it out and walk on my tiptoes while I do this.) Then
he/she chooses someone else to switch spots with. The game goes
on until evrybody has a turn. It's a nice calming activity and
the kids enjoy it very much, especially if some drama is put into it!

I
sent my report cards home a few days
ago. I am so proud of my students. I feel like we
have accomplished so much together so far and their progress is
remarkable. As some of you might already know, I teach French
Immersion, so it is quite challenging for kids of such a
young age
to handle academics in a foreign language. We started September
with many students struggling to express themselves in French and
feeling the frustration of not being able to do so. However,
today I saw on their little smiling faces that all of that is history.
They are no longer afraid of making mistakes and they take up the
challenges with enthusiasm. It's rewarding to reflect on how much
they have grown in such a short time. I know that not every
student can get A's on his or her report card and it's all right.
I'm
happy anyway, because I feel that every one of them tried the best
they could and that is all that matters. Today a couple of girls
wanted a hug. Then later, one of my kids build a paper crown for
me and called me his princess! Those simple but kind gestures is their
way of saying "Thank you!". I wore the crown proudly, thinking
that the
boys and girls in my classroom shine as bright as the imaginary
jewels on it! Well done, class! :)

Things
to Note

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